Moving from Paradise to Paradise? (transplants, sales, real estate)

[DradisContact]

I've been pouring over the Idaho forums here and find it a little amusing when ID locals talk about the high cost of living in Idaho. I'm sure it must feel this way, but the reality (my reality, at least) is much different.

My family and I are seriously thinking about moving from Maui to CdA. My wife and children were born and raised here in Hawaii, but we're utterly exhausted by the cratered economy here. I realize it's bad everywhere, but Maui really only has tourism as it's economic engine, and tourism has NEVER been lower than now. We have no manufacturing, almost no service sector (outside of the needs of tourism), and government is quite literally bankrupt.

In spite of all this Maui is still the land of the million-dollar-fixer-upper. While home sales are down, listed prices are up. We're paying more than $7 for a gallon of milk. Gas has been hovering around $5 a gallon for years now. My youngest child's (kindergarten) private school is 15k a year. There is only one job listed in the major Maui newspaper today, and it starts off with "Girls 18+ wanted...".

My wife spent some time in CdA years ago and loved it, and now we find ourselves in shock, looking at 1 acre estates with gorgeous, newer homes listed for 400k in CdA - homes that would easily sell for 3-5 million dollars on Maui. We're tired of the heat and wouldn't mind the opportunity to have a snowball fight with the kids once in a while.

Given all this, are we likely running from one problem to another? Would love to get a fresh perspective on this one. Thanks!

[fearnofish]

It will probaly be a "culture shock" coming to CDA but a good one. I have never been to Maui so take what I say with a grain of salt.. The cost of living in CDA is not bad compared to many place in the US. You can find a nice house on a lot more than 1 acre for 400k if you do your homework and don't buy the first thing that comes along.
Actually having all four seasons is something you would probaly really enjoy. What I mean by that is in CDA you can definatly tell a difference when it Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter. I would say give it a serious look and see what you find. The local paper is at www.cdapress.com so you can see what is going on in the area.

If you are a family that is into the outdoors then I can go into a lot more detail about what opportunities may arise in the CDA area for you.

[Shaner]

Maui is beautiful and you are right, you would be trading paradise for paradise. Alot of people here don't realize this place is cheap. Yes housing may be a bit more because of it being a resort town, but go a little outside of town and it drastically drops. Part of my best friends family is from Hawaii and it is funny because all the older parts of the family live here, and the younger parts live on the islands. They joke that it is a young persons game over there. As fearnofish said, having 4 seasons is great.

[DradisContact]

Excellent! Thanks for the replies. I'm a Los Angeles area native who actually enjoyed living close-ish to a city. I've been on Maui 10 years now, and moving here was quite a shock for me. Back in L.A. I spent as much time as possible up in Big Bear to hang out in the beautiful, cool weather, and enjoyed it immensely.

Here on Maui we try to get out as much as possible, but because this is a dinky island in the middle of the tropics there isn't really much to do but go to the beach. After a million trips to the beach, we really only appreciate it now when talking with the tourists, amazed that we actually live in this paradise. We're ready for some fun road trips and hiking exploration however.

We've secured the services of a good real estate agent in CDA, and you're right fearnofish, with a little digging there are plenty of fine homes for under 300k to be found. Every time I do a search, or my ID RE agent sends me some links, we're continuously amazed. Even in this economy our little 20 year old house on Maui far exceeds the values of homes we're considering in Idaho. Wow.

This is getting more interesting by the minute. Thanks again!

[boisefan88]

Be warned; snow and winter seem like a treat when you're in constant 80 degree weather, but that soon fades when it's cold and cloudy and windy and rainy for 6+ months.

My friend from high school grew up in Southern Idaho (much sunnier and warmer than NID) and has been in Maui for the past 7 years. He wanted to move back to buy a house and lasted 2 weeks before he realized how much easier and better life is with sun and warm weather.

I'm not going to lie - it takes a special person to thrive in the cold and cloudy weather. Most of us just get by and wait it out until spring, enjoying a few ski sessions or whatever. But for day to day life it sucks and sitting in the house because it gets dark and cold at 5pm gets old by the first week of January.

[DradisContact]

Thanks for the reality-check, boisefan88. Seeing that I've never experienced cold, cloudy weather for 6 months straight I have no way of knowing if it's really for us.

Only one way to find out, I suppose.

[fearnofish]

Originally Posted by boisefan88

My friend from high school grew up in Southern Idaho (much sunnier and warmer than NID) and has been in Maui for the past 7 years. He wanted to move back to buy a house and lasted 2 weeks before he realized how much easier and better life is with sun and warm weather.

.

We would see this all the time. When we had a couple years of 'nice' winters the new arrivals would stick around. Then we would get a 'bad' winter and the following spring all those new arrivals had their house on the market. I love the snow and cold and the distinct four seasons. My piece of advice.. take a winters drivers course offered by the Idaho State Police the first winter you are here. It is comically to watch all the people slide around and wreck the first few snow storms.

[DradisContact]

Originally Posted by fearnofish

It is comically to watch all the people slide around and wreck the first few snow storms.

Funny, there is a tropical version of this winter time condition right here on Maui:

We don't have snow, but we have whales. And the number of tourists or new transplants who go head-on with oncoming traffic while craning their necks to get a better view of the breaching whale 100 feet off the beach is staggering. Really. Sometimes it's comical, but mostly it's tragic.

Sadly, Hawaii offers no Whale Season Driving Course.

[cl723]

CDA is mostly cloudy for 6 months?

[Sage of Sagle]

well...more or less. We have long gray winters in North Idaho. Sun breaks come every 5-10 days, but with clear skies it means bitter cold nights. But mid-October through about mid-March can be pretty cloudy here...